George, James Zachariah (1826-1897), was an American soldier, jurist, and politician. He served as chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court and as a United States senator. A statue of George represents Mississippi in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
George was born in Monroe County, Georgia, on Oct. 20, 1826. He fought in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War (1846-1848). He then studied law and became known for his skills in debate. George served as a member of the Mississippi Secession Convention, which in 1861 called for the state to withdraw from the union. He served as a colonel in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
From 1879 to 1881, George served as chief justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court. He then represented Mississippi in the United States Senate from 1881 until his death on Aug. 14, 1897. As a senator, he promoted agricultural development and was the only Democrat to help write the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 (see Antitrust laws ). George was also a prominent member of the Mississippi Constitutional Convention of 1890. Provisions in the constitution established poll taxes and literacy tests that served to keep most of the state’s African Americans from voting.
